The prior art devices teach a variety of tip shapes for cotton swabs useful in cleaning the external cavity and internal canal of the human ear. Generally, however, the shapes of the prior art are of the elongated teardrop configuration and it is presently understood that the outer diameter of the cotton swabs, so shaped, is less than the expected internal diameter of the auditory canal, so that the cotton swabs can be fully inserted into the ear. This however, creates the real possibility, indeed, high probability, that actual temporary or permanent damage, or at the least, long or short enduring pain, results. These shapes, however, fail to teach or suggest the unique and highly advantageous shaped tip of the cotton swab of the present invention.
More specifically, there is neither a teaching nor a suggestion in the prior art of providing a cotton swabbed tip of a cotton swab with a cylindrical, forwardly protruding, canal-insertable tip portion which is adjacent to and enlarges into a bulbous ear cavity surface-engaging portion to effectively, simultaneously, clean both the ear cavity and a not insignificant depth of the ear canal and, yet, also prevents accidental depth penetration into the ear canal beyond a predetermined maximum amount. The prior art, in fact, seems totally devoid of any appreciation of providing a shaped tip of a cotton swab which provides for a predetermined maximum degree or measure of depth penetration into the ear canal, with safety. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest a tip of a cotton swab which simultaneously cleans both the outer ear cavity and a portion of the ear canal by mere rotation of the cotton swab about the longitudinal axis of the stick. The prior art also fails to teach or suggest a tip of a cotton swab which positively prevents the user from thrusting or pushing the tip of the cotton swab beyond the predetermined limit of safety of penetration.
The cotton-swabbed tip of the device is provided with a shaped surface which prevents the user from accidentally or inadvertently forcing the tip too far into the ear canal of the individual whose ear is then being cleaned. Thus, a depth prevention mechanism is provided to the tip of the cotton swab and this serves to protect the ear's structure, especially the middle ear components including the ear drum membrane. It also eliminates the pain and discomfort otherwise associated with cleaning ears and avoids the feeling of anxiety of those individuals who are having their ears cleaned by others as well as the anxiety felt by the individual who is actually doing the ear cleaning to another. It is a definite need, concern and problem, especially to parents, to clean the ears of newborns, infants, and young children with cotton swabs and, yet, the parents are hesitant to do so because of the potential of going into the ear canal too deeply and thereby causing permanent or temporary damage to the components of the middle ear. Some parents are not appreciative of the risk of going into the ear cavity too deeply and they can easily cause permanent damage to the child's middle ear structure, the ear drum, etc. because they do not recognized the maximum depth of penetration which, if exceeded, can cause pain or damage to the ear structure.
The present invention provides a unique and highly advantageous leading surface for the cotton-swabbed tip of the cotton swabs. The design of the tip prevents accidental penetration beyond the maximum safety limit. In this manner, the parents can easily and efficiently clean their children's ears without worrying about going into the ear canal too deeply. Furthermore, the shape of the cotton-swabbed tip enables effective simultaneous cleaning of a not insignificant outer portion of the ear canal and the outer ear, or ear cavity, by providing, in the first instance a cotton surface of smaller dimension than the diameter of the auditory canal and, for the outer ear, by providing a cotton swabbed smooth surface which, during use, abuts against the ear cavity. Therefore, the cotton swab effects efficient cleaning of the ear cavity and ear canal, while ensuring that the cotton swab does not, however, penetrate into the ear canal beyond the predetermined maximum safety limit.
The cotton swab with the depth prevention mechanism is, of course, not only for use by parents with respect to the ears of the children but, as mentioned, in addition, it can be used with effectiveness by an individual with respect to cleaning one's own ears. Here again, the shaped tip surface of the cotton swab allows for a certain degree of ear canal depth penetration so cleaning of the ear canal and cavity is accomplished and, yet, the cotton swab cannot be pushed into the ear canal too far, so as to damage the middle ear or its components, and thereby cause permanent damage, tearing of the eardrum, or, at the least, immediate discomfort.